Love you anyway
by Rangerhunters
Summary: Joint efforts of Marilyn and May. R&S fluff, featuring a song that needed to be put in a song-fic :D


Love you anyway

_Ranger_

Twelve straight hours of meetings, but my day was finally over and my head was pounding. Normally, to come down from a cluster fuck of a day like this, I would have driven over to Stephanie's parking lot and stared up at her window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her shadowy figure moving back and forth on the opposite side of the blinds. My head told me I was pathetic, but something inside told me different. Tonight I didn't have that option. She had moved in with Morelli two weeks ago. Tonight, I was just trying to enjoy the Porsche's power as I drove around aimlessly, letting my mind wonder, but my mind kept coming back to that phone conversation we had during the Loretta situation.

She had asked me for a favor and I had asked her why I should do it. She said because I liked her and then I got stupid. I gave her some asinine line about not being sure why I liked her and after asking her to give me a couple of minutes I hung up. She'd obviously been thinking about that for a while because when I called back she wanted to know what I meant by that remark. Words were lined up on my tongue to tell her how I felt, but what came out of my mouth was even more stupid. She listened and then shot back, "m_aybe you need to change the destination_". Those words had been playing nonstop through my head ever since. When I hung up that day, I checked my boots because I was sure from the temperature of her voice I had stepped in a big pile of shit.

I glanced down at the speedometer and the needle was resting steady at 107. I jammed my foot down on the gas pedal and the needle climbed easily to 121 in a matter of seconds.

What I was doing was reckless and reckless can make you dead. I wasn't looking to die tonight; I just wanted the pain I was starting to feel inside to stop. I eased up on the gas and the needle descended back to a more acceptable speed of 85.

For over two years, she and I had been enjoying our little game of romantic cat and mouse. I'd take, she'd give; I'd groan, she'd moan.

Until that phone call.

I wasn't sure what the hell had changed, but something had. Had she given in to the Berg code of life instead of going her own way? Had Morelli finally said the right combination of words to make her believe things would be different this time around? Just the thought of her in Morelli's bed drove me fucking crazy. The needle shot back up to 102.

Shit, I couldn't remember the last time I was this pissed off. Fine, if that's the way she wants it, so be it. I felt the car's speed pick up even more and realized I had been driving on autopilot. Again, I had to back off the gas. She was going to kill me.

I blew out a deep breath and tried to calm down. I punched the radio on, hoping some background noise would quiet her words.

I stretched my neck side to side trying to work out some of the tension. I needed to lose the anger and evaluate the situation on an unemotional level. That was a laugh. There was no way I could think about Stephanie without emotions crawling in too. From the first moment I saw her walk in through the diner's door, she had become a part of me to the point of haunting my dreams every night.

For over two years I'd watched out for her, protected her. For over two years I'd encouraged her, wiped away her tears. For over two years I had loved her…

My mind went numb as those words echoed in my ears. I felt like one of Tank's punches had landed squarely in the center of my chest, I quickly downshifted through the gears, flipping on the right turn signal as I eased the Porsche off the freeway. Automatically, I pressed the hazard lights when the car rolled to a stop.

I just sat there with one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the gearshift. Shit. All this time I'd been lying to her and to myself, starting with that obnoxious line about not doing relationships and I'd been pushing her away ever since. Suddenly, I realized that's what had changed. With every calloused line I'd thrown in her direction, I'd been pushing her away, until finally I'd pushed her back far enough, far enough that her only choice was to shove me out of her life. I just sat there staring out the windshield as the other cars on the freeway flew by.

So now what, stupid? How do you fix this?

Different words began drifting through my head, harmonized words from the radio. I listened closer. The longer the song played, the more my anger faded as the lyrics brought clarity to how I'd felt about her all along…

Tell me what you want from me  
So I can try to make you see  
That I'm in no position for giving  
Cos' all I see you do is lie  
And I can't help but close my eyes  
And wonder 'bout you in my life  
I'm drowning in your tears

I tried to keep the lyrics from mixing with my thoughts, but all I could do was sit and listen.

I'm delirious  
Are you serious?  
What goes on in your head?  
I'm just curious  
Cos' I'm hanging here  
Got me dangling here  
Think your love, oh your love has got off my head

It's unbelievably hard to love you  
But I love you anyway  
I've been trying too hard not to love you  
But I love you anyway  
It's so incredibly hard to love you  
But I love you anyway  
And every time I try too hard not to love you  
I love you anyway

I don't get it, I really don't get it  
I try to walk away but my feet won't let me  
I don't get it, I just don't get it  
I try to walk away but my feet won't let me

"m_aybe you need to change the destination_": Fine, if that's what it would take to correct the damage my stupidity had caused, then that's what I'd do, starting right now.

I brought the car back to life, leaving a dark patch of rubber as I slid back onto the freeway. At the first break in the median, I swung the car around and headed in the opposite direction, straight for Morelli's house.

"Get ready, Babe, I just changed my direction."

_Stephanie_

Bob and I were just coming up the front sidewalk when Joe pulled into the driveway. Pino's delivery guy pulled in 5 seconds later. I held onto Bob while Joe paid for the food.

"Not cooking tonight?" Joe kissed me lightly on the cheek.

"No," I was already feeling used, no way in hell was I going to play the Burg housewife anymore. Joe held the door open and Bob and I followed inside.

"Come on Cupcake, I'll save Pino's for dessert, you can be my main course," Joe grinned wickedly and reached for my hand.

I cringed. If I had to listen to one more of Joe's sexual innuendos, I was going to explode and not in the way he was hoping.

"No!" I said dragging my feet as he tried to pull me in the direction of the stairs.

"You seem to be saying that a lot tonight," Joe quit pulling me and started backing me up to the wall.

"What's going on, Steph?" Joe's eyes were no longer filled with lust.

At first, I thought it was just the stress level of the whole Loretta situation that had awakened that little voice in my head telling me to go back home to my apartment. Now, I knew Joe and I were not meant to be together.

Thank God I hadn't cancelled the lease on my apartment yet. Deep down, I'd known there'd be a chance that it wouldn't work out between Joe and. Why should this time be different?

"I'm sorry, Joe, I just can't do this anymore. I think it would be best if I moved back into my apartment."

Joe walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. "If you go this time, there will be no coming back." He didn't bother to turn around, but I knew how he felt. I didn't want to see either one of us hurting.

I'd already packed up my things and had them loaded in my car, all but Rex. I walked over to the counter and picked up his cage. "I'm sorry Joe."

I slid Rex's cage onto the front seat and secured it with the seatbelt. Tears were already forming in my eyes as I pulled away. Even though I'd made the right decision, it still hurt.

I was halfway home without realizing it. The traffic light at the next intersection turned red and I started slowing down. I glanced in the rearview mirror, checking traffic behind me. A set of bright headlights was racing up behind me. The light turned green and I shoved my foot to the floor, hoping the fool wouldn't hit me in the rear. The car stayed on my bumper and followed me into my parking lot. When I turned into the lot, I recognized the car.

Oh shit.

**Ranger**

I had driven like a bat-out-of-hell for the last thirty minutes. The urgency inside me to connect with Stephanie was unbearable. All the way back, I tried to review the situation. Basically, I had two problems. Problem #1 was how to get Steph out of Morelli's house. I could abduct her or I could go in with my guns drawn, but I was fairly certain she wouldn't respond well to either of those options. That left option three, calling her and giving her some bullshit line just to get her out of the house and then coax her to go somewhere with me to talk.

Problem #2 wasn't as much of a problem as #1 was, unless she threw everything back in my face. Problem #2 was keeping her from going back to Morelli's house after I got her out. My list of options to solve Problem #2 was longer and I knew for a fact from our one night together that she responded very well to most of them, very well indeed. Problem #3 was to convenience her that I loved her and I wanted her in my life. The only option I had for this problem was to try and explain everything to her and if that failed… then I'd beg.

I had just pulled the car to the curb a block down from Morelli's house when the front door opened. Steph came out, carefully balancing Rex's cage in her arms. She struggled to close the front door and I wondered why Morelli wasn't helping her. I knew he was home; his car was in the driveway.

She bent down to put the cage on the front seat and I almost laughed when I saw her pulling the seatbelt down to secure Rex against harm, but when she stood back up, I watched as she wiped her face with the palms of her open hands. I knew that gesture, she was crying. I wanted to go to her, comfort her, but comforting her in front of Morelli's house would bring about a confrontation that wouldn't end well for any of us.

I sat there with the engine idling, waiting to see what she did next. She pulled away slowly and I waited until she reached the corner before pulling away from the curb. I stayed back, the Porsche grumbling in third, as she wove her way out of the neighborhood. When she turned on to Hamilton, I knew where she was heading and I sped up to close the distance. It looked like both Problem #1 and Problem #2 had been solved. That only left me with Problem #3, the hardest problem of all.

Confronting her with my feelings when she was already emotionally hurting wasn't the most opportune time, but I couldn't wait. It had to be now. I'd lost count of how many times she'd repeated the same old on-again/off-again relationship with Morelli. I'd probably played a role more than once in that little unhealthy game of love. I never minded Morelli's absences; actually, they gave me a few more chances to win Steph over, but so far, it hadn't solved anything. Right now, I suspected one of the things she was trying to decide which was scarier, the Burg style of life he was offering or me.

Shit! We were only a block away from her apartment and I didn't even realize it. The traffic light had just turned red as Steph approached the intersection. I slammed on the brakes, coming to a stop just a breath away from her bumper. Thinking about this woman was going to kill me.

She parked in her usual spot next to the dumpster; I parked two cars down and waited until she got out before I shut off the engine. I waited a few more seconds before I angled out of the Porsche to follow. Her instincts were better than mine tonight. She whirled around suddenly and faced me, totally angry.

"Damn it Ranger, you scared the living daylights out of me! Why didn't you let me know that was you behind me? Geez, I thought I'd attracted another stalker!" She was the perfect picture of a furious woman, hands planted on her hips and eyes flashing.

"Sorry, Babe, didn't mean to scare you," I said. I stepped closer and had to fight off a sudden surge of anger when I saw the tear stains on her face. "We need to talk."

She blew out a deep sigh and rubbed her forehead with a hand that was still shaking. "Tonight might not be the best time," she said, her voice laced with exhaustion. "Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

"No, it's important, Babe."

She studied my face for a moment. "Okay, but under one condition," she said and pointed to the cardboard boxes and plastic baskets piled up in her car. "You help me carry this stuff up."

"No problem." Shit, I'd bring two truckloads of boxes up if it meant she'd never spend another night in Morelli's house again!

Steph unbuckled Rex's seatbelt and lifted his cage off the front seat and headed for the elevator. I balanced four boxes and took the stairs. I could hear the old elevator laboring its way upward, so I picked the lock and shoved the boxes inside. The apartment smelled stale and oppressing, so I opened the windows to let in the crisp night air. I turned, heading back down for another load.

"I should've known better," she smiled, standing at the doorway with her key extended out, ready to unlock the door. "Why did I even bother?"

God, I loved her smile. "I'll get the rest, you just get Rex settled in."

"You sure?"

I gave her the raised eyebrow look and took the keys from her hand. "I'll lock the car."

I ran down the stairs two at a time. Guess I just scored a point I hadn't been planning on, not a bad start.

Steph was attaching Rex's water bottle to the side of his cage as I brought the last of the boxes in. I stacked them next to the others, then shut and locked the apartment door.

"Do you need some help unpacking?" I looked around, wondering which box her lingerie was in, I'd be more than happy to start with that one.

Steph shook her head. "No, thanks, I'm sooo not in the mood tonight." She grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and flopped on the couch, holding one of the bottles out for me. "What's so important? Is this about a distraction job?"

Now it was my turn to shake my head, "No, Babe, it's personal, actually."

She got a look of surprise on her face and settled back on the couch, legs tucked under her butt. "Personal?"

I nodded as I sat down next to her, "Very."

She was quiet as her blue eyes searched my face. "As you can probably guess, I've had sort of an emotional day already." She pointed to the moving boxes. "I'll be glad to listen; I'm just not sure how much help I'll be."

I sat there with my elbows resting on my thighs, my hands clasped together, wondering how in the hell I should start. Coming right to the point may be just a little too direct for the emotional overload she was in. Then again, coming right to the point was how I communicated the best with people - when I communicated.

"Promise me you'll listen to everything I have to say." Steph nodded in agreement.

"Remember a few weeks back when you called and asked me to do a background search on Kantner?" I watched her body stiffen a little as she nodded her head.

At least I got a reaction out of her, not exactly the one I was hoping for, but I hadn't expected for her to jump into my arms after my declaration of love either. Especially not after the emotional night she'd just had. I was treading on eggshells here. I stood up and started pacing back and forth across her small living room, dodging the damn boxes. I looked back at her. She was watching me with those beautiful blue eyes, quietly waiting for me to continue. I stopped pacing and faced her.

"You told me that m_aybe I needed to change my destination in order to get to where I wanted to go."_

_"I remember," she acknowledged softly._

_I continued pacing, unsure how to continue._

_"Did you figure out where you wanted to go?" Her question stilled my feet and I stared into her eyes._

_This was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. I sighed and went back to sit on the couch. "Yeah, Babe, I did." I turned to face her directly. She had a frightened look on her face. I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her not to worry; instead I reached over and picked up her hand._

_"I realize that I've been lying to you," I paused dramatically, "And… I think you've been lying, too." She tried to pull her hand away, anger showing on her face._

_"I cannot deal with any more drama today," she stated. I couldn't blame her._

_I put my free hand up, signaling for her to stop. "Let me finish, please. This isn't exactly easy for me, either. I realized today that I lied to you when I said I don't do relationships. Maybe it wasn't a complete lie, because when I said that to you I had never had a long-term relationship. I've also realized that you and I have had a relationship for over two years, whether I acknowledged the fact or not."_

_Her anger was growing. I was afraid she wouldn't wait for me to finish, so I pushed on. I had to tell her everything. Then, if she needed to scream and yell, I could deal with it, justify my reasons. I just needed to say it all at once; if I stopped now I wasn't sure I'd ever finish telling her how I felt._

_"I have never known anyone like you. You never stop trying, you give more than you take, your zest for life is limitless, you're beautiful, you're the best person I know and I'm totally in love with you. I'd like to… "_

_"Like to do what, you bastard?" She yanked her hand out of mine and jumped off the couch. "And how was I lying? And today of all days you feel the need to finally admit how you feel if that's what you're trying to tell me?" _

_Now she was pacing back and forth, actually wearing a path in the carpet. I settled to wait for her to sort through all the emotions she had rolling around inside her. I didn't want her confusing her anger and disappointment with Morelli with what I was telling her. She stopped and stomped her foot, pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered something under her breath. I saw the struggle on her features as she tried to regroup and then her eyes softened, her body losing the fighting stance she had taken. _

_"Finish your sentence, 'I'd like to…'", she stepped closer to me and reached out for my hand. _

_"I'd like to feel what it's like to love you every minute of each day, to have you in my bed every night, wake up with you in my arms every morning." The word flowed easily from my lips as they described my deepest, earnest desires._

_Her mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide. I gave her a sincere smile. "Oh… really?" she gasped as she tried to comprehend the significance. _

_"I want you in my life, Babe. I want to love you and make you happy. It's just that simple." I stood and pulled her into my arms. I rubbed my hand gently up and down her back, noticing how small she felt._

_There was only one thing left for me to say and her answer could either make my world complete or destroy it. Never before had I allowed anyone or anything to have this kind of power over me, but I was willing to accept it now because I truly loved her._

_"Babe, will you give us a chance?" I held her close; too scared that if she said __no__ this would be the last time I'd hold her. I closed my eyes and I know I stopped breathing. Though it had been a long time since I'd attempted to do it, I said a small prayer. _

_Stephanie_

_Oh. My. God. Did Ranger just say he wants me in his life? I inhaled a much needed breath of air as I fought to figure out the puzzle he'd thrown at me. Could it be that all my relationship problems were to be solved in one single night? My mind couldn't believe such luck; life's never that easy for me. Ranger's embrace calmed my nerves, soothed me in a way only he could. His arms seemed to be coaxing my mouth to form a __yes__ that would float easily from my lips. How long had I waited for him to confess his true feelings? How long had I avoided in telling him mine? Too long was the answer to both questions. We were both on the same page in the book of denial._

_Even though I wanted to indulge forever in the warmth and calmness of his embrace, I knew I had to make a decision soon. Hesitant to say an immediate __yes__ or __no__, I knew I couldn't let Ranger leave without giving him __something__. If I were completely honest with myself, the only true answer would be a resounding __yes__. I should scream it happily from the roof of my apartment building. Unfortunately, tonight wasn't the right night. _

With a heavy heart I made my decision. I lifted my head and our eyes locked. For once his expression wasn't blank; a myriad of emotions crossed his handsome face. Many of them I couldn't decipher, but the ones I could, caused my knees to buckle. He'd been totally honest. He'd opened his heart to me. I revised my decision.

"Ranger," I started and felt his large body tense, watched the familiar blank mask slip in place. "You've gotta hear me out, too, okay?"

He acknowledged my request with a barely imperceptible nod, but remained holding me while I framed his face with my hands, my fingers gently sliding over the beginning stubble on his cheeks.

"You've come to the right door at the wrong time, Ranger. As much as I'd love to say yes right now to giving us chance, and believe me, it's a really, really strong us, I just don't feel comfortable with my disastrous track record in relationships. I need a couple of days to sort this out. Can I have a couple of days?"

My arms tightened around him and began stroking my hands up and down the muscles of his back. I felt the tension lessen beneath my stroking hands as he pulled me even closer. Even before he spoke his next comment, I knew the direction of his words.

I rose on my toes and captured his mouth, catching him by surprise at my forwardness. It didn't take long before his dominant nature took control of the kiss. It started hesitant, and then turned sweet and loving under his insistent tongue. The man's kisses curled my toes, rolled my eyes to the back of my head and triggered moans from the deepest depth of my body.

Our tongues quietly battled for dominance of the kiss. I allowed my boldness to come through and captured his tongue between my teeth. The kiss stilled for a second and I hoped he got my message.

Ranger pulled back first, resting his forehead against mine for several minutes. "You win, Babe. I can deal with a day or two," he murmured into my hair. "Call me," he added, his face softening with the words. I nodded in agreement, but kept my arms around his neck a few precious seconds longer.

His lips brushed mine softly and with that he was gone. The front of my body suddenly felt cold and a feeling of loneliness washed over me. My fingers traced my lips where his had been only a moment ago. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Why had I let him go?

My fingers dug into the soft skin of my temples. Oh yeah, I sent him away because my ability to make a rational decision at this moment was shit. I gave the boxes scattered around my living room a nasty glare. I definitely needed to assume my thinking position, only this time under the covers and hopefully for a minimum of eight hours.

Bright and early is not how I met the next day; truthfully, I've tried never to meet a new day bright or early unless I was dragging my ass home after being out all night. No, last night I'd spent tossing and turning as the digital numbers on my alarm clock ticked away the hours.

Sometime around eight o'clock this morning, I fell into a restless sleep. Around noon, my bladder started screaming at me. The few hours of sleep had not helped my outlook at all, as a matter of fact; I now had a raging headache on top of everything else. I decided it was time I faced the day and sequestered myself in the ugly, tiny orange and brown chamber I called my bathroom. In less than an hour, I reappeared freshly showered, feminized by various other methods and my hair styled in long soft curls. Not bad for a woman who was facing one of the most important decisions of her life on zero hours of fitful sleep. I signed, knowing I'd also have to deal with Lula and Connie's never-ending questions. I opened the door to my closet and just stood there staring at the emptiness, shit; everything I owned was still packed.

I stumbled into the box room and tried to figure out which box held what. I'd packed so quickly yesterday that I hadn't marked the outsides of the boxes. Immediately, my attention was drawn to a white bakery bag sitting on top of one of the boxes. I all but ran to it, thanking the donut fairy for appearing in my time of need. I reached down into the bag and pulled out the first thing my fingers touched; it was a note:

_This stuff will kill you one day, but enjoy it anyway._

_R._

The note brought a smile to my face. The first genuine smile I'd had in days.

Surviving Lula's and Connie's relentless interrogation hadn't been easy. I'd managed to avoid any questions about Ranger by answering all their questions about my break-up with Morelli. Deferring to the lesser of two evils, I figured I wasn't giving anything away that wasn't already being broadcasted on the 'burg gossip line. That, and in addition to a bucket of fried chicken for lunch, had guaranteed me a ceasefire for the rest of the afternoon. I'd have to come up with another tactic for tomorrow I was sure.

But that was tomorrow's problem; I still had today's issues to work through. First, I had to take care of this frigging headache that had been pounding non-stop ever since Ranger had said "I'm in love with you", "I want you in my life" and "Call me." Secondly, I had to figure out how I felt about "I'm in love with you", and "I want you in my life", etc. I looked at the Advil bottle in my hand and wondered if six tablets would be enough.

Ranger

"I mean it, man, stay here." Tank pounded the tip of his index finger on the top of my desk to emphasize his point. I held up my hand, symbolically requesting the he stop both his lecture and the pounding of his finger. Tank nodded at me and then left.

My head fell back, resting on the padded edge of my office chair. In the twenty-two hours and seventeen minutes since I'd confessed my love and intentions to Stephanie, I'd managed to beat the shit out of two skips that RangeMan had hauled in for Vinnie. Granted, it was only for diversionary tactics on my part, but Tank was placing me under house arrest, sighting the legal survival of the company nonetheless. Smart man.

Stephanie

I'd compromised with my headache and the directions on the bottle. I'd taken three pills and washed them down with half a bottle of beer. Not something you should try at home unless you were a certified, professional producer of gargantuan sized headaches due to relationship matters. I was a charter member of that organization, unfortunately.

For the last two hours, I'd been unpacking all my worldly belongings from the mountains amount of boxes in my small living room. I was down to the last two. When I first started this task, I'd vowed to put things away in an orderly manner. Everything folded neatly and put in its proper place. At least one corner of my life was going to be in order; chaos would be reserved for the bigger issues.

The adhesive backing of the packing tape screamed as I pulled it off the top of the last box. I winced in pain at the sound and reached for the second half of my beer. The box was full of CDs. Music, that's what I needed! I dug through the titles, searching for some feel-good, kick-ass music. And I found it! Christina Aguilera's Keeps Gettin' Better. I slid the disc into the stereo, turned the volume up and started dancing and singing along –

Some days I'm a super bitch  
Up to my old tricks  
But it won't last forever  
Next day I'm your super girl  
Out to save the world  
And it keeps gettin' better

I loved this song! Maybe it was the line about being a super bitch or maybe it was because of the fabulous Cat Woman suit she wears in the video, I don't know. I just know I felt like I could kick ass as I sang along.

I hit the continuous replay button on the stereo and started unpacking the last box. Oh boy. The box held the outfits I usually used for distraction jobs. Outfits that I had to hide from Joe's temper. I smiled, not a problem anymore!

My hips followed the beat of the song as I refolded the last item from the bottom of the box. It was a pair of very short black leather shorts and suddenly, I knew the answer to my biggest issue in life.

I wanted a chance with Ranger. No matter how screwed up my past relationships had been, I wanted a chance with him. I realized that the issues I'd had in my past relationships weren't issues with him. He didn't expect me to serve the perfect pot roast every Wednesday night at six o'clock, he didn't expect me to have 2.5 children, he didn't expect me to be normal; he just expected me to be me!

Happiness overtook me and I started laughing. I didn't need another day to give him my answer. I spun around the room, looking for my cell phone among the empty boxes. Screw the phone; I had a better idea. This answer I wanted to deliver in person!

I pulled my car into the garage of Ranger's building, parking in the first empty spot available. I took a deep breath before opening the door. I knew I had made the right decision, I could tell from the smile on my face and the way my heart was pounding. I picked up my phone and punched in Tank's number.

"Problem?"

I shook my head, "No, unless he's out."

"Upstairs."

"Don't tell him I'm here, I want to surprise him."

"Okay." Tank disconnected.

Amazing what a decisive woman could do to her appearance in thirty minutes. I grabbed the CD and stepped from my car. I knew the control room would be watching, so I gave them a little finger wave as I sashayed my hips easily in the short leather shorts and matching knee high boots all the way to the elevator. Maybe they'd notice the snug black lace top and maybe they wouldn't, but I had to laugh, knowing I'd catch hell from them tomorrow!

I pushed the button for the seventh floor, surprised to find myself relaxed, but excited as the elevator started upward. When the door started to open, I automatically took a step forward and was stopped by the unmovable wall of Tank's chest.

"Oh, sorry." I said as I stepped back a little confused.

Tank smiled the biggest smile I'd ever seen on his face. "No problem, I'm just here to make sure you arrive safe and sound at your destination," he said as he stepped inside.

"Umm, Tank its only two floors up," I reminded him.

"Correct, but I just won the pool on how long it would take the two of you to come to your senses and since I did, I want to see the look on that man's face when he sees you at his door."

Oh boy.

Ranger

I slumped on the couch, surfing through the channels. I was bored and pissed off and Tank had rightfully placed me under house arrest. The worst part was I still had at least twenty hours, forty-five minutes to go _if_ she called precisely after two days. If I kept this up, Tank might have to shoot me just to put me out of my misery. I started pacing around the room as I flipped mindlessly through the channels.

Maybe she'd be too scared to call, maybe she'd forget? I shook my head in disgust. No way would she forget to call. One of the things I loved about her was her inability to be rude, especially to someone she cared about. The memory of her asking me if I was okay during the time I was FTA still brought a smile to my face. Only she would think to ask.

Being rude to Joyce Barnhardt or Vinnie came easy to her, then again, being rude to those two came easy for most people.

The possibility of her being too scared to call had me a little more concerned. She was the Queen of Denial after all. She was also the sexiest, most alluring, intuitive and caring woman I'd ever known and I'd wanted to call her mine for so long that…

I heard the faint sound of a keycard being swiped through the lock on the door. The SIG was ready in my hand before I realized I was home. Once again, my thoughts of Stephanie had removed me from my environment.

I met Tank and Stephanie in the halfway. Stephanie was hidden easily behind Tank's bulk. I looked at him for an explanation, which he answered with a wide smile. Stephanie stepped out from behind and my heart stopped: she was a vision of a sex goddess in a short skirt and leather boots.

"That'll be all," Stephanie playfully dismissed Tank and he returned a playful salute. He chanced a brief glance in my direction and his grin grew wider.

"Your house arrest has been extended for an additional 24 hours." Tank's mocking authoritative tone brought a full smile to my face and I playfully saluted back. "Yes, sir." Tank chuckled and left as silently as he'd arrived.

"Hi," was her simple opening statement.

"Hi back."

Rarely in my adult life have I been rendered speechless, at this moment, I was totally speechless. All I wanted to do with my mouth was lick every square inch of her long lush legs, kiss her sweet lips and then head south to areas that I knew held the key to her wondrous moans.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Stephanie asked casually as she sat down on the couch, her short skirt riding high, exposing the creamy flesh of her thighs and a hint of her heart-shaped ass.

I suddenly craved everything her body had to offer. "Whatever you want it to be, Babe," I said cryptically, leaving it up to her to get the double entendre.

A faint blush briefly painted her cheeks. "I'm in the mood for something filling, I could probably handle a couple of meatballs with sauce," she retorted just as cryptically.

"In that case, I'm not sure we should bother Ella tonight, perhaps I can come _up_ with something that would satisfy you tonight?" I gave back with a smirk.

God, was she gorgeous. I noticed that her slight blush had returned in the hue of fully embarrassed red. "Perhaps we should discuss what has honored me with your presence, aside from your healthy appetite."

"Oh that," she said airily, but offered nothing further.

I played with some loose strands of her riotous brown curls while schooling an expectant look on my face. She wouldn't meet my eyes. The five minutes it took her to gather her courage was a small amount of time to wait if her answer was what I wanted to hear.

Patience was one of my strongest qualities when going after something I wanted, but looking down at her as she tried to find her courage, I decided to give her a little incentive. I tilted her chin and pulled it to me, not letting go when she tried to squirm away. Her eyes fluttered shut even before our lips touched. My kiss left nothing in doubt as to what I was offering her. I pulled her head onto my shoulder; giving her the shelter from my gaze that I knew she would need to ask the question her heart was too scared to ask.

It didn't take long before I felt her relax as she molded one side of her face into my chest. "I didn't need two days to sort out my feelings for you. I just wanted to let you know," she finally whispered.

"Let me know what?" I struggled to remain calm and relaxed on the outside, but on the inside I was quaking.

"Define 'us'," she asked simply.

I lifted her head from my shoulder so we were facing each other fully. "I love you. I want a relationship, an exclusive relationship, just you and me, for as long as you want it. Simple as that."

"I love you, too and that's exactly the type of relationship I want," she graced me with one of the most beautiful smiles I'd ever seen. "Is there anything else you'd like to add?" Her beautiful smile was replaced with the most seductive smile a woman's face had ever owned.

"Other than I want you naked in my bed right now?" I felt her lips form into a smile as I kissed her delicious mouth.

"Sounds like something else we agree on," she answered.

That was all the invitation I needed, I scooped her up off the couch and headed in the direction of the bedroom. Her legs were wrapped tightly around my waist, her arms encircled my neck and our lips were almost touching.

When I reached the bed, I lowered her down so she was kneeling in front of me. Having her in my bed after all this time was going to limit my control, so I was trying to make this moment special. She surprised me by taking the first step and unbuttoned my jeans. I could feel her hands shaking as she lowered the zipper on my jeans.

"My turn, Babe." I reached down, closing my hands over her. "I've waited a long time for this moment." I pulled her hands up and kissed them and then lowered her small fists to her sides.

I locked my eyes with hers as I raised the hemline of her top. Slowly, inch-by-inch, I gathered the fabric in my hands as I allowed my fingertips to feel the soft skin underneath as my hands moved upward. When I reached the delicate softness of the underside of breasts, I stopped.

"Babe, I wanted this to be special, but I don't think I can wait any longer."

She pulled her top from my hand and yanked it over her head. "Good, because I need you in me now."

Our smiles reflected each other's. Without a word, we both stripped off the rest of our clothes. When she reached down to unzip her boots, I grabbed her hand. "Leave those on for a while." I lifted an eyebrow suggestively.

"They don't call them FMPs for nothing!" And she laughed.

I picked her up and tossed her on the bed. She yelped as she landed in the center. "Ready, Babe?" She nodded.

The kiss was meant to be tender, soft, slow… instead; as soon as her taste entered my mouth, it became the final accelerant, igniting the fire of our desires.

In haste, I kissed and nipped down the side of her neck until I came to that soft valley between her neck and shoulder. I bit and sucked until the vibration of her moan played against my lips and I pulled back. The mark I'd left was angry and dark against her pale skin; I touched it gingerly with my fingers as if I could erase it.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I liked it."

I kissed her deeply, our tongues tasting and twisting, merging our wants and needs. The pillowy softness of her breast filled my hand and I squeezed it gently as I played with her nipple through the lace covering of her bra. Against her tight sensitive nipple, the soft lace felt rough, even to the callused tip of my finger. Her body arched up, demanding more from me.

"Ranger, please," the desperation of her words echoed my needs.

My eyes drifted down the parts of her body I would be neglecting in my haste to enter her. I silently promised myself that I would make it up to her.

I inserted my finger and played with her wetness, concentrating on her swollen clit, and drew another deep moan from her. With some regret I withdrew my finger and shifted until I was positioned where I craved to be. My cock was dancing and bobbing, begging for entrance into her warmth. The head of my cock found its entrance and I stopped.

"Ranger?" she begged.

She was so tight; entering her was a slow, agonizing and wonderful sensation. Making love to her was unforgettable and without equal.

"Babe, relax for me." My eyes were closed as I tried to control the need I felt to take her; it would hurt her if she didn't relax.

"Ranger," the urgency of her voice weaved its way into my mind. "Ranger, I want you now, don't worry, I want this and I need you."

With that I shoved my thick, throbbing cock deep inside her in one quick thrust.

"I love you, Babe."

Stephanie

I almost passed out from the shock of Ranger entering me with a single thrust _and_ saying the 'L' word in the same second. The way he filled me left me immobile from the waist down for a few seconds and topping it off by saying he loved me! Well, that left me speechless. I desperately wanted to say the words back at him, but I couldn't; my brain kind of short-circuited at the sheer bliss he was generating in my body. Each of his powerful thrusts had my nerve endings in a twist, reviving feelings long neglected. My brain and body started functioning again: my legs wrapped around his hips and my arms anchored on his shoulders, fingers digging in his flesh to hold on.

The most emotional ride of my life didn't get to last long; pent-up feelings had my entire body spinning into pure ecstasy. An unexpected climax ripped through me, causing my inner muscles to clamp tightly around Ranger's hardness. I heard him groan and knew he was at the edge of his control. He yelled my name as he found his release inside me. It took a while for either of us to regain our ability to speak. He pulled me close and cradled me in his arms, I pouted when our bodies separated and settled my head on his chest.

Gently he brushed the hair from my sweaty face, his fingers lingering on one cheek. "I love you so much," I whispered as I drew random circles on his skin. I still couldn't gather enough courage to meet his eyes.

"I know," he simply stated and tightened his grip on me.

"How?" Curiosity won out and I finally looked up.

"Told you once I'd ruin you for all other men, I just had to believe in my own words," he gave back with a beautiful smile.

"Why now?"

Ranger actually took a moment before replying. "I reevaluated my life. Realized you are such a big part of my life that I was a fool for not giving us a chance. Like the song said, _my feet won't let me walk away anymore_."

I struggled to come up with what song he was talking about… hell, I'd just had a Ranger-induced orgasm _and_ he had told me he loved me _and_ he wanted to give us a chance. I was lucky to still know my name.

I had to ask. "Which song you're referring to?"

"Later." His eyes darkened and he brushed my hair aside, clearing a spot of soft skin on my neck for him to kiss as his hand sneaked up my ribcage. "Right now, I have other plans."

A deep throaty moan sounded my agreement as the swell of one breast filled his palm, his fingers playfully plucking its nipple to hardness. Warm lips closed over the other one, skillfully teasing it. I began to sing an unending sexual chorus of moans gasps and groans. Eager fingers of his other hand slid easily into my overly wet pussy. I heard him groan.

"So wet," he murmured, his mouth suddenly an inch from mine.

His tongue plunged past my lips at the same as he inserted one finger into my heat. My answering moan got lost somewhere in his devouring kiss. I put my arms around his shoulders, urgently caressing his silky skin as liquid fire raced through my veins. His fingers knew the exact spot inside of me to touch to bring a scream of pleasure from my mouth and each time he passed over it, my fingernails dug into the tight muscles of his shoulders.

He left my lips swollen and tingling to trace a wet path of open-mouthed kisses down my body. Both peaks received a short nip on his journey south and then his tongue circled my bellybutton and dipped in before the journey wound up at the juncture of my thighs.

He gently spread my legs with his forearm. I sensed his enjoyment of watching his finger sliding in and out of me. It was a strange, yet erotic feeling. Surprisingly, I liked it.

In a rush of impulsive braveness, a question left my mouth I never would have imagined asking. "See something you like?" As soon as the words were out, I felt a deep blush color my face.

"Oh yeah." His voice was husky with desire. "You've ruined me Babe."

Oh, my God! I barely had a split second to try to comprehend that remark before gentle teeth nipped on my clit and his first finger was joined by a second and then a third. Ranger's finger persisted with their expert moves as he sucked my clit between his teeth, allowing his tongue to tease the tiny bundle of nerves. My hips took charge as he unrelentingly continued finger-fucking me. I couldn't hold back any longer. I exploded, writhing and screaming in pleasure.

Ranger pulled his fingers from inside me, but his tongue played slowly around my post-climatic center in leisurely circles. Now and then he'd thrust it between my walls, sending little after-shockwaves through my body.

I tugged on the long strands of his hair wrapped around my fingers. I felt a brief pang of regret as he raised his head in response. I tugged again and he slowly started to bring his body up, laving my skin with his magical tongue in several strategically thought out spots. I wasn't going to complain! When he sucked each tip of my breast in his hot mouth and swirled his tongue around I almost forgot why I had interrupted him in the first place.

I lifted his face until his lips were millimeters from mine. I took the initiative to plunge my tongue in his hot mouth, enjoying the scent and taste of our mingled essences, the feel of his soft lips, the swirl of his tongue as he tried to regain control of the kiss.

Oh no, this was going to be my show!

I tried to roll him over onto his back as my tongue controlled the dance being performed inside our mouths, but he wouldn't budge. I broke the kiss briefly and bit down on his lower lip and pressed more insistently on his shoulders. This time, he complied, pulling me with him, our lips still locked, our bodies connected in a way that couldn't be more intimate even if we tried.

I pushed my hands against his shoulders separating our upper bodies just enough so that my breasts grazed his chest, a silent invitation he accepted immediately. His palms filled with the swell of each one, making me loom above him longer than I'd planned. But it felt so good! As I started my journey south, his eyes turned into dark pools, heavy with anticipation. I scooted lower until my butt rested on his thighs, and my eyes were drawn to his huge cock.

I let my gaze linger on its magnificence a long moment. It was like steel covered with velvet. It also was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and I couldn't wait to taste it.

I bent and licked the tip with cat-like nips before I let my tongue trail down the whole length until I reach the softness of his balls. Veins pulsed under my light touch and a sense of power washed over me. I wrapped two fingers around the base and licked my way up to the tip. Without hesitation, I slid my lips over the entire head. Using my teeth to graze carefully the sensitive skin surrounding it, I sucked the tip into the heat of my mouth and swirled my tongue around it for good measure as my fingers gripped tighter around his width.

Dimly I heard Ranger groan as his hips began to jerk in an involuntary rhythm, his cock twitching slightly in my mouth. I easily settled into the same rhythm with my mouth's movements, each jerk driving him a little deeper until he hit the back of my throat. I relaxed for a moment and then began again, letting him slide in and out, moving my fingers up and down in light constricting movements. From the noises ripping from his mouth and the slight trembles of his thighs, I knew I was driving him fucking crazy. I quickened the pace, knowing he must be close when he gently pulled on my hair to get my attention.

"Please, Babe…I need to be inside you." Ranger ground out, his famous control obviously hanging on by a thread.

Taking my sweet time I let him slide out of my mouth, but I wrapped both hands tightly around his length. "Impatient, are you?"

I started teasing my wet center up and down the length of his erection until Ranger grabbed my hips and lifted my butt. His cock whipped up and came to poise right at my entrance. With unbelievable control and strength, he lowered me onto him, each inch slipping in tantalizingly slow as my walls gripped and greedily pulled him deeper inside. We both moaned in unison at the sensation of being joined so completely.

My eyes locked with his, neither of us moved for a moment, in silent understanding my hands found his and our fingers entwined. A promise was spoken that needed no words.

Finally Ranger rocked his hips a little. "What's your schedule for the next fifty years, Babe?" he asked, his features serious.

"I think I can fit you in," I replied with a mischievous smile and wriggled my butt.

_**The End **_


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